Heat exchanger

Abstract

This heat exchanger comprises a plurality of flat tubes inside which a refrigerant flows, and a plurality of fins that have a plurality of insertion parts inserted into intervals between the flat tubes, and a communication connection part connecting the plurality of insertion parts, and that are arranged at intervals in a fin lamination direction that intersects an air blowing direction and an up-down direction. The fins have: a fin body; and a drainage part that is provided at a position biased to one side of the insertion part in the air blowing direction, and is formed by an inclined part that forms an opening by extending in the fin lamination direction, and a pair of connection pieces that connect the fin body and the end edges on both sides in the up-down direction of the inclined part.

Description

heat exchanger

[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-126366, filed on August 2, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] A known example of a heat exchanger used in an air conditioner is one with comb-shaped fins. This type of heat exchanger mainly includes a plurality of flat tubes through which a refrigerant flows and comb-shaped fins inserted between the flat tubes. The flat tubes are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction, and the fins are provided to connect the flat tubes vertically to each other to increase the heat transfer coefficient between the refrigerant and air.

[0003] When a low-temperature refrigerant flows through the flat tubes, moisture in the air condenses and accumulates on the surfaces of the flat tubes. To expel this condensed water, the device disclosed in Patent Document 1 listed below has multiple louvers extending vertically on the fins. Water droplets that reach the upper ends of the louvers from the lower surfaces of the flat tubes are drawn into the louvers by surface tension and guided downward. This is believed to enable the water droplets to be expelled.

[0004] Patent No. 6710205

[0005] However, the installation of the louvers poses the problem of increased pressure loss in the airflow between the fins. Furthermore, it is difficult to maintain a constant angle of the louvers, and the angle can easily change due to external forces or aging, further increasing pressure loss.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a heat exchanger that ensures high drainage performance while reducing pressure loss.

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the heat exchanger of the present disclosure comprises a plurality of flat tubes in the shape of a flat plate extending in the air blowing direction, arranged at intervals in an up-down direction intersecting the air blowing direction, through which a refrigerant flows, a plurality of insertion portions extending in the up-down direction and inserted into the spaces between the flat tubes, and a plurality of fins having communicating connection portions connecting the plurality of insertion portions in the up-down direction, and arranged at intervals in the air blowing direction and a fin stacking direction intersecting the up-down direction, wherein the fins have a fin body, an inclined portion provided at a position biased to one side of the air blowing direction in the insertion portion, and extending in the fin stacking direction from either one side or the other of the air blowing direction to either one side or the other, thereby forming an opening, and a drainage portion formed by a pair of connection pieces connecting both end edges in the up-down direction of the inclined portion to the fin body.

[0008] The heat exchanger of the present disclosure comprises a plurality of flat tubes in the shape of a flat plate extending in the air blowing direction, arranged at intervals in an up-down direction intersecting the air blowing direction, through which a refrigerant flows, a plurality of insertion portions extending in the up-down direction and inserted into the spaces between the flat tubes, and a plurality of fins having communicating connection portions connecting the plurality of insertion portions in the up-down direction, and arranged at intervals in the air blowing direction and a fin stacking direction intersecting the up-down direction, wherein the fins have a fin body and a drainage portion formed by a second inclined portion that is provided at a position biased to one side of the air blowing direction in the insertion portion and has a first portion that extends in the fin stacking direction as it moves from one side to the other of the air blowing direction, and a second portion that extends to the opposite side from the first portion in the fin stacking direction as it moves from the other side to one side of the air blowing direction in the air blowing direction.

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a heat exchanger that ensures high drainage performance while reducing pressure loss.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a main portion of a first modified example of a heat exchanger according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a main portion of a heat exchanger according to a second modified example of a heat exchanger according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a main portion of a heat exchanger according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a main portion of a heat exchanger according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a heat exchanger according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a heat exchanger according to a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] First Embodiment A heat exchanger 1 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. The heat exchanger 1 is a device that is installed in, for example, an air conditioning system to exchange heat between a refrigerant and air.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1 , the heat exchanger 1 includes a plurality of flat tubes 10 and fins 20. The flat tubes 10 have a flat, thin plate-like shape in a cross-sectional view, and a flow path 11 through which a refrigerant flows is formed inside the flat tubes 10. In the following description, the direction in which the flat tubes 10 extend in FIG. 1 (the longitudinal direction in the figure: the width direction of the flat tubes 10) is referred to as the "air blowing direction." The flat tubes 10 are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction, which is a direction intersecting (orthogonal to) the air blowing direction. Air sent from a fan (not shown) flows between adjacent pairs of flat tubes 10. The flat tubes 10 are integrally formed from, for example, aluminum.

[0013] The fins 20 are plate-shaped and extend in the vertical direction, and are arranged at intervals in a stacking direction of the fins 20, which is a direction that intersects (is perpendicular to) the above-mentioned air blowing direction and the vertical direction. The fins 20 each have a fin body 21 and a drainage portion 22.

[0014] The fin body 21 has a plurality of insertion portions 31 inserted into the spaces between the plurality of flat tubes 10, and communicating connection portions 32 formed integrally with the insertion portions 31 and vertically connecting the edges of the insertion portions 31 in the air blowing direction. The insertion portions 31 are sandwiched between the flat tubes 10 on both sides in the vertical direction. Meanwhile, the communicating connection portions 32 extend to a position biased in the air blowing direction relative to the flat tubes 10. In other words, there are no blocking members in the vertical direction on the communicating connection portions 32.

[0015] The fin bodies 21 are inserted into the spaces between the flat tubes 10 from one side in the air blowing direction. In other words, this heat exchanger 1 is of a type that includes so-called comb-tooth fins 20.

[0016] The drainage section 22 is provided in a position biased toward one side of the insertion section 31 of the fin body 21 in the air blowing direction (i.e., the side of the communicating connection section 32). The drainage section 22 is provided to discharge condensation (water droplets) formed on the surfaces of the flat tubes 10 to the outside. The drainage section 22 extends in the vertical direction. The upper end of the drainage section 22 is located slightly below the lower surface of the upper flat tube 10. The lower end of the drainage section 22 is located slightly above the upper surface of the lower flat tube 10.

[0017] As shown in Figure 2, the drainage section 22 has an inclined portion 41 and a pair of connecting pieces 42. The inclined portion 41 is formed by raising a notch formed in the fin body 21 in the vertical direction in the stacking direction of the fins 20. Specifically, the inclined portion 41 is inclined so as to extend in the stacking direction of the fins 20 from one side to the other in the airflow direction. Triangular connecting pieces 42 are provided between the vertical edges of the inclined portion 41 and the fin body 21.

[0018] The inclined portion 41 and the connecting piece 42 are integral, and when the inclined portion 41 is formed from the notch as described above, the connecting piece 42 is simultaneously formed by plastically deforming the member. A rectangular opening 43 extending in the stacking direction of the fins 20 and in the vertical direction is formed between the edge of the inclined portion 41 on the other side of the airflow direction and the opposing fin body 21. The dimension of this opening 43 in the stacking direction of the fins 20 is preferably about several millimeters. Furthermore, the maximum protruding height of the inclined portion 41 is preferably half the distance (separation distance) between adjacent fins 20.

[0019] (Operation and Effect) When operating the heat exchanger 1, a refrigerant is first circulated through the flow paths 11 inside the flat tubes 10. Next, air is pressurized and sent by a fan through the spaces between the flat tubes 10. For example, when a low-temperature refrigerant is circulating, heat from the air is transferred to the low-temperature refrigerant, lowering the temperature of the air. This low-temperature air is used, for example, as cool air for an air conditioner.

[0020] On the other hand, when a low-temperature refrigerant flows through the flat tubes 10, heat exchange with the humid air causes condensation (water droplets) to form on the surfaces of the flat tubes 10. When these water droplets grow, they compress the cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow path, causing the fan driving force to become greater than desired and reducing the efficiency of the entire device. Therefore, this embodiment employs a configuration in which the above-mentioned drainage section 22 is used to discharge these water droplets.

[0021] As shown in Figure 1, water droplets that grow on the lower surface of the flat tube 10 drip downward due to gravity and enter the opening 43 of the drainage section 22. Inside the opening 43, the remaining water droplets are gradually captured by surface tension. The water droplets captured in the drainage section 22 flow downward along the drainage section 22. Finally, the water droplets pass through the space on the communicating connection section 32 side and are discharged to the outside.

[0022] As described above, with the above configuration, the drainage portion 22 is provided on the fin 20, allowing water droplets remaining on the lower surface of the flat tube 10 to be captured by the opening 43 of the drainage portion 22 and guided downward. Furthermore, because the drainage portion 22 is formed by the inclined portion 41 and a pair of connecting pieces 42, the inclination angle of the inclined portion 41 can be stably maintained by support from the connecting pieces 42. In other words, even when an external force is applied, deformation of the inclined portion 41 can be avoided. This prevents an inadvertent increase in pressure loss and a decrease in drainage performance due to a narrowing of the opening 43. Furthermore, because the inclined portion 41 extends only toward one or the other side of the airflow direction, an increase in pressure loss due to the airflow can be avoided. Therefore, the driving force of the blower fan can be reduced compared to conventional methods. This significantly improves the efficiency of the entire device.

[0023] Furthermore, with the above configuration, the maximum protruding height of the inclined portions 41 is half the spacing between the fins 20. This allows the ends of the fins 20 to be arranged at equal intervals in the stacking direction of the fins 20, thereby maximizing the effect of drawing water droplets that have accumulated on the lower surface of the flat tube 10 into the drainage portion 22. In other words, the effect of drawing water droplets can be obtained not only at the openings 43 but also between the inclined portions 41 and adjacent fins 20. Furthermore, the possibility of the inclined portions 41 coming into contact with other adjacent fins 20 and interfering with each other can be reduced. Therefore, the spacing between the fins 20 can be narrower than before, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the fins 20.

[0024] The first embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above. Note that various changes and modifications can be made to the above configuration without departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

[0025] For example, as a first modification, as shown in Fig. 3, the direction in which the inclined portion 41 extends may be opposite to that of the first embodiment. Specifically, in the example shown in Fig. 3, the inclined portion 41 is inclined so as to extend in the stacking direction of the fins 20 as it moves from the other side to one side in the airflow direction. The opening 43 faces one side in the airflow direction. Even with this configuration, the same effects as those described above can be obtained.

[0026] A second modified example, shown in FIG. 4, may also be employed. In this example, the drainage section 22 is formed by a second inclined section 140 having a first section 141 and a second section 142. The first section 141 is inclined so as to extend in the stacking direction of the fins 20 from one side to the other in the airflow direction. The second section 142 is inclined at a position opposite the first section 141 so as to extend in the opposite direction from the first section 141 in the stacking direction of the fins 20 from the other side in the airflow direction to the one side. In this case, the opening 43 faces one side in the airflow direction. Furthermore, both vertical ends of the first section 141 and both vertical ends of the second section 142 are open, and the above-described connecting piece 42 is not provided. With this configuration, the drainage section 22 has a first section 141 and a second section 142 extending in opposite directions. This allows the protruding height of the drainage section 22 as a whole in the stacking direction of the fins 20 to be kept small. As a result, the air pressure loss between the fins 20 is reduced, making it possible to keep the driving force of the fan lower than before. Furthermore, since the connecting piece 42 is not provided, water droplets can be efficiently captured from the upper end of the drainage portion 22 facing the flat tubes 10. This makes it possible to further improve drainage performance.

[0027] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0028] 5, in this embodiment, the position of the drainage section 22 in the vertical direction is different from that in the first embodiment. Specifically, the drainage section 22 is disposed in a position biased upward. Therefore, the distance between the lower flat tube 10 and the lower end of the drainage section 22 is greater than the distance between the upper flat tube 10 and the upper end of the drainage section 22.

[0029] (Effects) With the above configuration, the drainage section 22 is biased toward the upper side, so that water droplets can be efficiently captured and collected from the lower surfaces of the flat tubes 10 where the water droplets tend to accumulate. On the other hand, the drainage section 22 does not prevent water droplets that accumulate on the upper surfaces of other flat tubes 10 located below the drainage section 22 from flowing downward. In other words, if water droplets that accumulate on the lower side are captured by the lower end of the drainage section 22, their downward flow will be prevented. With the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the likelihood of such an event occurring. As a result, water droplets can be more efficiently discharged in a configuration including multiple flat tubes 10.

[0030] The second embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above. Various changes and modifications can be made to the above configuration without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, the position of the drainage section 22 described as a modification of the first embodiment can be changed in the same way as in the second embodiment. This configuration can achieve the same effects as those described above.

[0031] Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Note that the same components as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0032] As shown in Figure 6, in this embodiment, the extension direction of the drainage portion 22 is different from that of the above-described embodiments. Specifically, the drainage portion 22 is inclined from top to bottom so as to extend to one side in the airflow direction, i.e., toward the communicating connection portion 32. Furthermore, the lower end of the drainage portion 22 is located within the communicating connection portion 32, not within the insertion portion 31 of the fin body 21. Note that the entire lower end of the drainage portion 22 does not necessarily have to be located within the communicating connection portion 32; it is sufficient that at least a portion of the lower end of the drainage portion 22 is located within the communicating connection portion 32.

[0033] According to the above configuration, water droplets captured in the drainage portion 22 on the lower surface of the flat tube 10 are guided downward along the inclined drainage portion 22 and discharged toward the communicating connection portion 32. In other words, the possibility that water droplets captured on the upper side will accumulate on the upper surface of other flat tubes 10 below can be reduced. This allows water droplets to be discharged more efficiently. Ultimately, water droplets that accumulate on the upper side of the flat tubes 10 can be significantly reduced, minimizing the erosion of the flow path cross-sectional area and the increase in pressure loss caused by water droplets. This makes it possible to significantly improve the efficiency of the entire device.

[0034] The third embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above. Various changes and modifications can be made to the above configuration without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, the configurations described in the first and second embodiments can be combined and applied to the drainage section 22 of the third embodiment. In this case, the effects described in each embodiment can be obtained in a combined manner.

[0035] Fourth Embodiment Next, a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Note that the same components as those in the above-described embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0036] 7, in the fin body 21 according to this embodiment, an uneven portion 50 is formed on the other side in the airflow direction, adjacent to the drainage portion 22. The uneven portion 50 has a plurality of continuous convex portions 51 that are convex on both sides in the stacking direction of the fins 20. The uneven portion 50 is provided to increase the surface area of ​​the fin body 21 and improve heat exchange efficiency.

[0037] Furthermore, the inclination direction of the first portion 141 of the second inclined portion 140 of the drainage portion 22 coincides with the protrusion direction of the convex portion 51 of the uneven portion 50 that is closest to the drainage portion 22 side.

[0038] (Effects) According to the above configuration, the inclination direction of the first portion 141 of the second inclined portion 140 coincides with the protrusion direction of the convex portion 51 of the uneven portion 50 that is closest to the drainage portion 22. As a result, as shown by the arrows in Figure 7, there is no sudden change in the flow direction of air flowing into the uneven portion 50 via the second inclined portion 140, and the air flows smoothly, significantly reducing pressure loss in the air flow. This allows the driving force of the fan to be kept lower than before, further improving the efficiency of the entire device.

[0039] The fourth embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above. It should be noted that various changes and modifications can be made to the above configuration without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, the uneven portion 50 described in the fourth embodiment can be combined and applied to the configurations of the above-described embodiments and modified examples. In this case, the effects described in each embodiment can be obtained in a combined manner.

[0040] Fifth Embodiment Next, a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Note that the same components as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 8 , in this embodiment, the fin body 21 is formed with a rigidity complement portion 60 for increasing rigidity. Specifically, the rigidity complement portion 60 is formed by each edge of a region recessed in the stacking direction of the fin 20. An upper edge 61 on the side adjacent to the upper flat tube 10 extends in the air blowing direction. Furthermore, a side edge 62 extending downward from the end of the upper edge 61 in the air blowing direction extends in the vertical direction. On the other hand, the edge on the side adjacent to the lower flat tube 10 is formed by a lower inclined edge 63 and a lower horizontal edge 64. The lower inclined edge 63 extends upward from one side to the other side in the air blowing direction. One end of the lower inclined edge 63 is located within the communicating connection portion 32. The other end is located within the insertion portion 31. The lower horizontal edge 64 extends in the air blowing direction from the other end toward the other side in the air blowing direction. Furthermore, at least a portion of the lower end of the drainage section 22 is located at a position that overlaps with the lower inclined edge 63 in the air blowing direction (i.e., above the lower inclined edge 63).

[0042] (Effects) According to the above configuration, water droplets captured in the drainage portion 22 are guided by the lower inclined edge 63 and discharged downward toward the communicating connection portion 32. This reduces the possibility that water droplets captured on the upper side will accumulate on the upper surfaces of other flat tubes 10 below. Ultimately, the amount of water droplets that accumulate on the upper side of the flat tubes 10 can be significantly reduced, minimizing the erosion of the flow path cross-sectional area and the increase in pressure loss caused by water droplets. This makes it possible to significantly improve the efficiency of the entire device.

[0043] The fifth embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above. It should be noted that various changes and modifications can be made to the above configuration without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. For example, the stiffness complementing portion 60 of the fifth embodiment can be combined and applied to the configurations described in the above embodiments. In this case, the effects described in each embodiment can be obtained in a combined manner.

[0044] Sixth Embodiment Next, a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Note that the same components as those in the above-described embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0045] As shown in Fig. 9, in this embodiment, a burring portion 70 is provided on the fin body 21. The burring portion 70 is provided to maintain a constant spacing (separation distance) between adjacent fins 20 in the stacking direction of the fins 20. Specifically, the burring portion 70 protrudes in the stacking direction of the fins 20 and abuts against another adjacent fin body 21. In other words, it is possible to ensure spacing between the fins 20 by the protruding dimension of the burring portion 70.

[0046] The drainage section 22 is disposed below the burring section 70. More specifically, the burring section 70 and the drainage section 22 at least partially overlap each other in the air blowing direction.

[0047] (Effects) According to the above configuration, the drainage section 22 is provided below the burring section 70 where water droplets tend to accumulate, so that water droplets near the burring section 70 can be more efficiently discharged. This improves the drainage performance of the entire heat exchanger 1, thereby preventing erosion of the flow path cross-sectional area and an increase in pressure loss due to accumulation of water droplets, and further improving the efficiency of the entire device.

[0048] The sixth embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above. It should be noted that various changes and modifications can be made to the above configuration without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, the burring unit 70 of the sixth embodiment can be combined and applied to the configurations described in the above embodiments. In this case, the effects described in each embodiment can be obtained in a combined manner.

[0049] (Other Embodiments) Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and design changes and the like within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present disclosure are also included.

[0050] For example, in each of the above embodiments, an example has been described in which only one drainage section 22 is formed in one insertion section 31. However, the number of drainage sections 22 is not limited to the above, and multiple drainage sections 22 may be provided at intervals in the air blowing direction. In this case, water droplets can be discharged over a wider range in the air blowing direction.

[0051] The air flow in the air blowing direction may be from one side to the other side in the air blowing direction, or from the other side to the one side. In other words, the air flow may be formed from the communicating connection portion 32 side toward the insertion portion 31 side, or may be formed toward the opposite side.

[0052] Furthermore, the number of flat tubes 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 etc. is an example, and more flat tubes 10 can be provided depending on the design and specifications.

[0053] Furthermore, the heat exchanger 1 may be applied to any industrial thermal machinery, such as a heat pump, a refrigerator, or the like, in addition to air conditioning equipment.

[0054] <Additional Notes> The heat exchanger 1 described in each embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0055] (1) The heat exchanger 1 according to the first aspect comprises a plurality of flat tubes 10 each having a flat plate shape extending in the air blowing direction, arranged at intervals in an up-down direction intersecting the air blowing direction, and through which a refrigerant flows; a plurality of fins 20 each having a plurality of insertion portions 31 extending in the up-down direction and inserted into the spaces between the flat tubes 10, and a communicating connection portion 32 connecting the plurality of insertion portions 31 in the up-down direction, and arranged at intervals in the air blowing direction and in a fin 20 stacking direction intersecting the up-down direction; and a fin body 21; an inclined portion 41 provided at a position biased to one side of the air blowing direction in the insertion portion 31, and extending in the fin 20 stacking direction from one side or the other of the air blowing direction toward the other side or one side, thereby forming an opening 43; and a drainage portion 22 formed by a pair of connecting pieces 42 connecting both end edges of the inclined portion 41 in the up-down direction to the fin body 21.

[0056] According to the above configuration, the drainage section 22 is provided on the fin 20, so that water droplets remaining on the lower surface of the flat tube 10 can be captured by the opening 43 of the drainage section 22 and guided downward. Furthermore, because the drainage section 22 is formed by the inclined section 41 and a pair of connecting pieces 42, the inclination angle of the inclined section 41 can be stably maintained. Moreover, because the inclined section 41 extends only toward one side or the other of the air blowing direction, an increase in pressure loss due to the air blowing can be avoided. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the driving force of the blower fan compared to conventional methods.

[0057] (2) The heat exchanger 1 according to the second aspect is the heat exchanger 1 of (1), in which the maximum protruding height of the inclined portion 41 in the stacking direction of the fins 20 is 1 / 2 of the distance between adjacent fins 20.

[0058] According to the above configuration, the maximum protruding height of the inclined portion 41 is half the distance between the fins 20, thereby reducing the possibility of the inclined portion 41 coming into contact with other adjacent fins 20 and interfering with them.

[0059] (3) The heat exchanger 1 according to the third aspect is the heat exchanger 1 of (1) or (2), in which the drainage section 22 is biased toward the upper flat tube 10 of a pair of flat tubes 10 adjacent to each other in the vertical direction.

[0060] According to the above configuration, the drainage section 22 is biased toward the upper side, so that water droplets can be efficiently captured and collected from the lower surfaces of the flat tubes 10 where the water droplets tend to accumulate. On the other hand, the downward flow of water droplets accumulated on the upper surfaces of other flat tubes 10 located below the drainage section 22 is not impeded. This allows water droplets to be discharged more efficiently in a configuration including multiple flat tubes 10.

[0061] (4) The heat exchanger 1 of the fourth aspect is a heat exchanger 1 of any one of the aspects (1) to (3), in which the drainage section 22 is inclined toward the communicating connection section 32 as it moves from the top to the bottom in the vertical direction, and the lower end of the drainage section 22 is located within the communicating connection section 32.

[0062] According to the above configuration, water droplets captured in the drainage portion 22 on the lower surface of the flat tube 10 are guided downward along the inclined drainage portion 22 and discharged toward the communicating connection portion 32. In other words, it is possible to reduce the possibility that water droplets captured on the upper side will remain on the upper surface of other flat tubes 10 below. This allows water droplets to be discharged more efficiently.

[0063] (5) A heat exchanger 1 according to a fifth aspect is a heat exchanger 1 according to any one of aspects (1) to (4), in which a rigidity complementing portion 60 is formed on the fin body 21, which is recessed in the stacking direction of the fins 20 to increase the rigidity of the fin body 21, and a lower inclined edge 63, which is at least a part of the lower edge of the rigidity complementing portion 60, extends downward from the insertion portion 31 side toward the communicating connection portion 32 side, and the lower end of the drainage portion 22 is located above the lower inclined edge 63.

[0064] According to the above configuration, the water droplets captured in the drainage portion 22 are guided downward by the lower inclined edge 63 and are discharged toward the communicating connection portion 32. This reduces the possibility that the water droplets captured on the upper side will remain on the upper surfaces of the other flat tubes 10 below.

[0065] (6) The heat exchanger 1 according to the sixth aspect is a heat exchanger 1 according to any one of the aspects (1) to (5), wherein the fins 20 are formed integrally with the fin body 21 and further have burring portions 70 that abut against other adjacent fin bodies 21 to determine the spacing between the fins 20, and the drainage portions 22 are formed below the burring portions 70.

[0066] According to the above configuration, the drainage section 22 is provided below the burring section 70 where water droplets tend to accumulate, so that water droplets near the burring section 70 can be more efficiently discharged.

[0067] (7) A heat exchanger 1 according to a seventh aspect includes a plurality of flat tubes 10 each having a flat plate shape extending in the air blowing direction, arranged at intervals in a vertical direction intersecting the air blowing direction, and through which a refrigerant flows; a plurality of insertion portions 31 extending in the vertical direction and inserted into the spaces between the flat tubes 10; and a plurality of fins 20 each having a communicating connection portion 32 connecting the plurality of insertion portions 31 in the vertical direction, and arranged at intervals in a fin 20 stacking direction intersecting the air blowing direction and the vertical direction. The fin 20 has a fin main body 21, a drainage section 22 formed by a second inclined section 140 that is provided at a position biased to one side of the air blowing direction in the insertion section 31 and has a first section 141 that extends in the stacking direction of the fin 20 as it moves from one side to the other side of the air blowing direction, and a second section 142 that extends to the opposite side from the first section 141 in the stacking direction of the fin 20 as it moves from the other side to the one side of the air blowing direction, thereby forming an opening 43.

[0068] According to the above configuration, the water drainage section 22 has a first portion 141 and a second portion 142 that extend in opposite directions. This makes it possible to reduce the protruding height of the water drainage section 22 as a whole in the stacking direction of the fins 20. As a result, air pressure loss between the fins 20 is reduced, making it possible to reduce the driving force of the fan compared to conventional configurations.

[0069] (8) The heat exchanger 1 according to the eighth aspect is the heat exchanger 1 of (7), in which the drainage section 22 is biased toward the upper flat tube 10 of a pair of flat tubes 10 adjacent to each other in the vertical direction.

[0070] According to the above configuration, the drainage section 22 is biased toward the upper side, so that water droplets can be efficiently captured and collected from the lower surfaces of the flat tubes 10 where the water droplets tend to accumulate. On the other hand, the downward flow of water droplets accumulated on the upper surfaces of other flat tubes 10 located below the drainage section 22 is not impeded. This allows water droplets to be discharged more efficiently in a configuration including multiple flat tubes 10.

[0071] (9) The heat exchanger 1 according to the ninth aspect is the heat exchanger 1 of (7) or (8), wherein the drainage section 22 is inclined toward the communicating connection section 32 as it moves from the top to the bottom in the vertical direction, and the lower end of the drainage section 22 is located within the communicating connection section 32.

[0072] According to the above configuration, water droplets captured in the drainage portion 22 on the lower surface of the flat tube 10 are guided downward along the inclined drainage portion 22 and discharged toward the communicating connection portion 32. In other words, it is possible to reduce the possibility that water droplets captured on the upper side will remain on the upper surface of other flat tubes 10 below. This allows water droplets to be discharged more efficiently.

[0073] (10) The heat exchanger 1 according to the tenth aspect is a heat exchanger 1 according to any one of the aspects (7) to (9), wherein the fin body 21 is formed with a rigidity complementing portion 60 that is recessed in the stacking direction of the fins 20 to increase the rigidity of the fin body 21, and a lower inclined edge 63, which is at least a part of the lower edge of the rigidity complementing portion 60, extends downward from the insertion portion 31 side toward the communicating connection portion 32 side, and the lower end of the drainage portion 22 is located above the lower inclined edge 63.

[0074] According to the above configuration, the water droplets captured in the drainage portion 22 are guided downward by the lower inclined edge 63 and are discharged toward the communicating connection portion 32. This reduces the possibility that the water droplets captured on the upper side will remain on the upper surfaces of the other flat tubes 10 below.

[0075] (11) The heat exchanger 1 according to the eleventh aspect is a heat exchanger 1 according to any one of the aspects (7) to (10), wherein the fins 20 are formed integrally with the fin body 21 and further have burring portions 70 that abut against other adjacent fin bodies 21 to determine the spacing between the fins 20, and the drainage portions 22 are formed below the burring portions 70.

[0076] According to the above configuration, the drainage section 22 is provided below the burring section 70 where water droplets tend to accumulate, so that water droplets near the burring section 70 can be more efficiently discharged.

[0077] (12) The heat exchanger 1 according to the twelfth aspect is a heat exchanger 1 according to any one of the aspects (7) to (11), and further has an uneven portion 50 on the side of the insertion portion 31 of the drainage portion 22 in the air blowing direction, which protrudes on both sides of the stacking direction of the fins 20 when viewed from the vertical direction and is continuous in the air blowing direction, and the inclination direction of the first part 141 of the second inclined portion 140 and the protruding direction of the convex portion 51 of the uneven portion 50 closest to the drainage portion 22 side are consistent.

[0078] According to the above configuration, the inclination direction of the first portion 141 of the second inclined portion 140 coincides with the protrusion direction of the convex portion 51 of the uneven portion 50 that is closest to the drainage portion 22. This makes the flow direction of the air that flows into the uneven portion 50 via the second inclined portion 140 gentler, thereby significantly reducing the pressure loss of the air flow.

[0079] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a heat exchanger that ensures high drainage performance while reducing pressure loss.

[0080] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Heat exchanger 10...Flat tube 11...Flow path 20...Fin 21...Fin body 22...Drainage section 31...Insertion section 32...Communicating connection section 41...Inclined section 42...Connection piece 43...Opening 50...Uneven section 51...Convex section 60...Rigidity complement section 61...Upper edge 62...Side edge 63...Lower inclined edge 64...Lower horizontal edge 70...Burring section 140...Second inclined section 141...First section 142...Second section

Claims

1. A heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of flat tubes having a flat plate shape extending in the air blowing direction, arranged at intervals in a vertical direction intersecting the air blowing direction, and through which a refrigerant flows; and a plurality of fins extending in the vertical direction and having a plurality of insertion sections inserted into the spaces between the flat tubes and communicating connection sections connecting the plurality of insertion sections in the vertical direction, the fins being arranged at intervals in the air blowing direction and a fin stacking direction intersecting the vertical direction, wherein the fins have: a fin body; and a drainage section formed by a pair of connection pieces connecting both end edges in the vertical direction of the inclined section to the fin body.

2. A heat exchanger as set forth in claim 1, wherein the maximum protruding height of said inclined portions in said fin stacking direction is 1 / 2 the distance between adjacent said fins.

3. A heat exchanger as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the drainage section is biased toward the upper flat tube of a pair of flat tubes adjacent in the vertical direction.

4. A heat exchanger as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the drainage section is inclined toward the communicating connection section as it moves from the top to the bottom in the vertical direction, and the lower end of the drainage section is located within the communicating connection section.

5. A heat exchanger as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the fin body is formed with a rigidity complementing portion that is recessed in the fin stacking direction to increase the rigidity of the fin body, and a lower inclined edge that is at least a part of the lower edge of the rigidity complementing portion extends downward as it moves from the insertion portion side to the communicating connection portion side, and a lower end of the drainage portion is located above the lower inclined edge.

6. A heat exchanger as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the fins are formed integrally with the fin body and further have burring portions that abut against adjacent fin bodies to determine the spacing between the fins, and the drainage portion is provided below the burring portions.

7. A heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of flat tubes having a flat plate shape extending in an air blowing direction, arranged at intervals in a vertical direction intersecting the air blowing direction, and through which a refrigerant flows; and a plurality of fins extending in the vertical direction and having a plurality of insertion portions inserted into the spaces between the flat tubes and communicating connections connecting the plurality of insertion portions in the vertical direction, the fins being arranged at intervals in the air blowing direction and a fin stacking direction intersecting the vertical direction, wherein the fins have: a fin body; and a drainage portion formed by a second inclined portion which is provided at a position biased to one side of the air blowing direction in the insertion portions, and has a first portion extending in the fin stacking direction as it moves from one side to the other of the air blowing direction, and a second portion extending to the opposite side from the first portion in the fin stacking direction as it moves from the other side to one side of the air blowing direction.

8. A heat exchanger as described in claim 7, wherein the drainage section is biased toward the upper flat tube of a pair of flat tubes adjacent in the vertical direction.

9. A heat exchanger as described in claim 7 or 8, wherein the drainage section is inclined toward the communicating connection section as it moves from the top to the bottom in the vertical direction, and the lower end of the drainage section is located within the communicating connection section.

10. A heat exchanger as described in claim 7 or 8, wherein the fin body is formed with a rigidity complementing portion that is recessed in the fin stacking direction to increase the rigidity of the fin body, and a lower inclined edge that is at least a part of the lower edge of the rigidity complementing portion extends downward as it moves from the insertion portion side to the communicating connection portion side, and a lower end of the drainage portion is located above the lower inclined edge.

11. A heat exchanger as described in claim 7 or 8, wherein the fins are formed integrally with the fin body and further have burring portions that abut against adjacent fin bodies to determine the spacing between the fins, and the drainage portion is provided below the burring portions.

12. A heat exchanger as described in claim 7 or 8, further comprising an uneven portion on the insertion portion side of the drainage portion in the air blowing direction, which protrudes on both sides of the fin stacking direction when viewed from the top-bottom direction and continues in the air blowing direction, and the inclination direction of the portion of the second inclined portion and the protruding direction of the convex portion of the uneven portion closest to the drainage portion side are consistent.

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